Reminiscent
by VinBlack
Summary: AU. He met her at a bar, and two years after that fateful meeting he was on his knees, asking her hand in marriage.


**Reminiscent**

**Author's note: Hey people! It's been quite a while since my last fanfic. Haven't really got any idea of what to write on the Rob/Rae topic, but thanks to my well-beloved teacher who gave us a title to write about, I have FINALLY come up with another story! So go, congrats her (just say it in your hearts that whoever-she-is should be thanked :P).**

**Anyway, the title was 'Work'. And I had squeezed my brain and re-drank the juices to come up with something other than 'work'. So there!**

**PS: Beware of the sucky title.**

**Disclaimer: Don't owe them, might never, could never. **

"_You say it best, when you say nothing at all…"  
>- Ronan Keating, 'When You Say Nothing At All'<em>

'Oh Lord or God or Mom and Dad or whoever it is up there currently listening to me ranting about… more like praying about. Please make this work, PLEASE.' The silent yet desperate prayer was running around my mind in circles as here I find myself kneeling on my knees for two minutes; the ring – lying comfortably in the small, blood-red cuboid velvet box – being held by my blatantly shaking hands; a nervous smile on my face as I stare inquisitively at my girlfriend of two years, waiting for her to say _something_.

Truth be told, Rachel and I had kind of a weird first-meeting to be exact, and I was still surprised that she had stick with me for the past two years. Of course, you would expect I met her in some coffee house and managed to chat her into sleeping with me and me going after her after a day or two as I can't seem to get her black, silky hair or soft, pale skin or kissable lips out of my head, but _no_. That ain't what happened.

Rachel and I first met at some fancy bar downtown of where I work in the homicide division as a detective in GCPD (Gotham City Police Department). I always wonder what had brought both of us to meet in a place like that. I mean, come on, of all the places to meet, I meet her at a bar? A place where men and women of all ages frequent to forget about their working life for a few cherished hours? A place where I frequent yet haven't seen a woman as mesmerizing as her step foot in before? Pfft… It was as if someone had release some Joker to fool with our minds.

But yes, indeed, I met her at the Night Jazz Bar. And somehow, after landing my eyes on her, I knew my life would change forever.

It was actually late, quite late to be precise (If you count 1AM to be early, you are _some_ weirdo… Not that I don't stay up till that late.). After solving on the Chadwick-mutilation case (which practically took another extra three days of working into the night just because someone messed up the whole interrogation), reporting, filing and certifying, my goofy, self-absorbed colleagues which I have no idea why I call them 'friends' managed to talk me into going to Jazz for some time out, few drinks, and guy time. Cancelling my plan of going home to get the smell of the squad room off and hitting the sack earlier, I followed grudgingly.

The bar, as usual, was pack with individuals from different levels of our social hierarchy. We have the lowest level, commonly known as commoners for their usual need of common things, sipping their drinks far too slowly as if trying to indulge themselves into the taste of fine high-class wine which they could only afford once in a while; the second level, consisting of fine gents like… _me_ (Fine, and Vic and Roy and the other fine "gents" I see…) and the women, all chatting away or playing pool well into sunrise without actually caring about the time; and lastly, the wealthy corporate workers, the big guys, laughing their asses off by the bar or well inside the bar, each having some vixen in their arms, as if competing to see who would get bedded first.

As we enter the bar, the smell of beer with hints of carbon monoxide filled my nostrils, though being accustomed to, still makes me cringe as though it was the smell of a badly decomposed corpse. Victor chose the seats at the end of the bar counter and each sat our butts down with me by Roy's left and Victor to his right.

A nod to the bartender signified the usual – gin-and-tonic – and off they were chatting away about how one boy from Canada managed to make it big in the U..A through YouTube and how some 'Friday' singer happens to be famous just because people hate her. I, of course, always tend to deviate from the talk of entertainment gossip to look around (More like scan around) for familiar criminal-looking famous, paranoid as I am. Besides, I always feel safe knowing my surroundings as anything could happen, like some hot black-haired chick walking into the bar.

Glancing about with my back facing the bartender and leaning back against the counter, the ringing of the bell on top of the swinging door made my head turn 163 degrees to my right. And instantly, the whole world stopped. And somehow I can hear dramatic music playing in the background.

The newcomers were women. Two women, neither looking too high-class not low-class. Both were in their late 20's. One happens to be a Raven-black-haired woman and a redhead whose hair looks as if it could burn. The burning-like hair woman – with clear green eyes, giving her an almost childish look yet managing to make her look mature, tanned complexion and a Channel model's body – was chatting animatedly (and non-stop) to the shorter woman.

She, with the Raven-colored hair, had beautiful striking blue eyes which looks as if it has some tinge of amethyst in it, lush lips which any man (Me included.) would love to get their mouths on, and a curvaceous body who would make any male of the sort in the bar (Also, including me) to order a second drink. She, instead, was trying _not _to look clearly annoyed with her red hair friend while multitasking, trying to find a seat for both of them. Spotting one about a few feet away from the counter, she practically grabbed Red's hand and headed towards the back, passing by me, allowing me to take a whiff of her (And company's.) perfume.

And somehow, I just can't take my eyes of her as they were literally stuck onto her. It was as if some kid used Elephant glue to stick stickers on my face, having me furiously getting them off after some few hours in which I happened to be the Crack-Job of the week, hell, the month.

I might not be a big believer in that 'love at first sight' idiom that people throw around when they say they found the "right one", but slap me, pinch me, kick me, punch me, choke me… I'm in love. It wasn't lust, per se. Okay, maybe mild lust, but there was a bit of a spark in me that just made my face heat up at the mere sight of her. It was only during that microsecond of my life that I could feel my breath taken away from me by her sheer beauty. I actually did feel my heart skipping a beat when I first saw her.

My so-called Bar Buddies, noticing me not noticing them but noticing the two female behind the room, were grinning smugly when I turned back towards them. I switched my gaze from Victor to Roy, knowing what was to come. "What?" I asked, slightly irked, and annoyed.

Roy, now leaning against the counter just as I am, turned down his grin and tilted his head closer to Victor's. "Victor, my old chap. Did you know, which I obviously think you do but in which I just want to ask, that when a person is sexually attracted to the opposite sex, their pupils _actually_ dilate?" he asked in his best Sherlock-Holmes accent.

Victor, whose grin only amplified, gladly played along. "Why yes, dear Roy, and it seems to both you and me that young Dick here is clearly magnetized by that pretty little black-haired lady sitting just five tables behind." Victor answered, his British accent sounding no better than Roy's, and sounding weird coming from a full-breed African-American.

I scoffed, understanding where they were leading this line of conversation towards. "No, no. I was just admiring her… shoes," I replied, clearly speaking half the truth (I did manage to take in her full form before going back to her face), thanking my quick-witted mass of tissue in my cranium for coming up with such a corny albeit effective comeback. Though no doubt about it, they were not taking this seriously.

"Okay, now you're just embarrassing yourself. Even criminals lie better than you. Hell, that Jack-o-kid we busted earlier could pass out own human lie-detector. You," Victor pointed his index finger straight at my nose, stopping my upcoming protest, "are clearly, pristinely, positively, absolutely, crystal-clearly… one Heaven-and Earth of a _bad_ liar." He ended, smiling proudly, his head slightly inclined to his right and held high, his whole six-feet-five form sitting comfortably on that bar stool bearing his weight.

I rolled my eyes, "Okay, so I lied. But-" I held up a palm, "I was indeed admiring her shoes. Those are some killer heels she's wearing!" I spread my arm out towards the women's direction.

"Aw, come on! Just say 'that hour-glass figure of hers' or 'legs that I so hope would be wrapping around me' or better still, for a person as highly-knowledgeable and forensically educated as you, her 'physical attributes which happens to cover from her os frontale down towards her phalanges'." Roy crossed his arms, a wide grin on his face.

"What the-! Okay, now you guys are taking this a little far." I held up both my hands, going through my memory bank of how I happen to make these two frat buddies 'my friends'.

Victor actually got red in the face. "A little? A _little_? Oh my… I think I'm gonna faint. Did he just say 'a little'? Please tell me he was joking." He directed this question-like statement towards his carrot-hair friend.

"Chill, my man. I'll knock some senses into him." Roy got out of his seat and stood next to me. "Hey," he hooked an arm around my shoulder, "Vic and I, we have been wooed by so many women that we have lost count. Dude, he's getting married in two months. You? You're stull single, man. A bachelor. Not that I am questioning about your manhood or charm, but you've gotta give this detective gig a rest and think about something else, you know. Like, your future?"

"What about my future?" I asked, suspecting something amidst.

He looked at me pointedly, shook his head at Vic, and turned back to me once more. "Look, this might be a once in a lifetime chance that your gonna meet that chick. So you really gotta cherish this opportunity and make a go for it!" He shook me none-too-gently.

"Yeah, besides, I want her at my wedding by your side in two months time. That's the time limit I'm giving you in order to woo her in." Victor pointed out. "Not that I want you to bed her." He added as an after thought.

I gave a small laugh, "Man, I…"

"Come on, go!" Roy said, giving me a slight tug to the back.

I glanced from him to Victor. "Go," he said softly yet clearly, as if a shifu was telling his young grasshopper to venture on a new adventure.

Sighing, I pushed away Roy's arm and made my way towards her.

She was sitting alone and her friend was nowhere to be seen (Girl's room?). She was glancing around, taking in everything from top to bottom, staring boredly at anything that meets her eyes. Her gaze came upon me as I neared her. My breath caught; my heart rate was drastically increasing every step I take towards her; my hands were beginning to sweat; and my mind was racing. Finally, after what felt like a millennium, I stopped in front of her, shell-shocked, speechless. She was looking at me intensely with those piercing eyes of hers, as if she could see through my soul. And I have no idea what to do next other than standing there looking like an idiot while absorbing her radiant beauty.

She gazed at me quizzically for a moment, checking me out (formally). Then, she narrowed those gorgeous eyes of hers and looked away. I was thankful for it as I could finally breathe, but was absolutely caught off-guard by her words, "Get lost."

Her voice was slightly gruff for a woman yet there was a soft and soothing tone to it. Without thinking, I replied. "You don't even know why I came here for." I cursed myself mentally for giving such a stupid answer. So much for first impression.

"Yes, I do. Trying to pick me up. Metaphorically and literally. No, you can't. And no, I am not going to continue this pointless conversation with you." She answered curtly, looking at me from the corner of her eyes, and I can slightly see the small curve of her lips gracing her pretty face.

I sighed, and said the only thing that I thought would help lengthen my interaction with her.

"I lost my teddy bear, will you sleep with me?" (!) I used one of those cheesy pick-up lines that I just-so-happen to overhear from Roy just a few days ago when he bragged about hooking up with some store lady.

She turned those striking eyes at me again, looking at me fully, her eyes widening mildly. She gently shook her head and chuckled. "You are so cliché," she might've said that as some insult to me, but there some playfulness in that tone of voice she used. This encouraged me to go on.

"Well, what do you think I should do? Continue with these pick-up lines or ask you out for a drink now?" I smirked, feeling more relaxed as I slowly get used to her presence.

She glanced down to hide her smile, her long hair making me itch to twirl it between my fingers. "You are so not treating this as a game now, are you, Blunder Boy."

"Well, now that you mention it, I think I am. But first what would you have me do? Clearly you are a woman of pride and a woman of pride is a woman who is just too hard to satisfy." Growing bold, I leaned my hand on the table, bringing me closer towards her, glancing down at her.

She rolled her eyes skyward and gave me a half-hearted smile. "Fine… Well, for starters, name."

I smiled, nodding my head in total understanding. "Well, forgive me, fair maiden. The name's Richard Grayson, friends call me Dick, but as a gift… you may call me Handsome." My smirk widened as I accepted her handshake. Her hand happened to fit _just right_ into my hand, making me siding onto that 'Love at First Sight' idiom more and more.

"Well, I'm not sure whether to say it's a pleasure meeting you, Hand-some. But, just so you would've feel so outdated, my name's Rachel Roth, friends call me Rachel, and you may _not_ call me." She gave me a cynical smile when emphasizing on the 'not', and pulled her hand away from my grasp.

Surprised, I laughed good-heartedly at her oh-so-sarcastic reply. "You really are a hard woman to please now, Miss Roth."

"Yes, I am." She said pointedly, sipping at her cup of tea.

"Well, I hope that I would get the honors of pleasing you to a state of pure bliss." I bowed slightly at the waist, as if a gentleman making a promise to die for said lover.

She smiled, this time it was a shy one, and I could see the faint blush on her cheeks. She hesitated a while, then asked. "What makes you think you will?" Her eyes showed that she was adamant in wanting to know what the answer to the question is.

I smiled, lacking the charm and flirtatious signs. "I don't know, I just… feel it, I guess."

She was quiet for a moment, then. "Well, I do look forward to meeting you in the future then, Mr. Grayson." She rewarded me with a genuine smile, then turned towards her drink, dismissing me for now.

After, I headed back to the others while my mind was recounting the incident that happened just half an hour ago.

"So," Roy asked once I've reached their side. "How'd it go?"

Again, I glanced back towards my first blunder, the way she looked at me with her amethyst-blue eyes, the smiles she gave occasionally in which I could guess she rarely gave anyone else.

"It was okay…" I smiled, knowing whatever that just transpired between us was more than a mere 'okay'.

And currently, after two years into our relationship, with me doing most of the pursuing and she doing most of the avoiding, I have finally plucked out my courage to give her my full commitment. Thus, here I am, on my knees, asking her hand in marriage. I had planned this four month ago but was too scared to actually go with it. But after blackmails from Victor and dares from Roy, I just told myself to do it.

She had once told me how she simply enjoy the simplicity in almost anything, but this time I hope to give her more than what normal man would do when asking their partner's hand in marriage. Hence, here we are, in a small little restaurant (She dares not step foot into a high-class one unless forced roughly), our dinner halfway done, and the bouquet of roses I got for her on the seat to her left.

She was blatantly speechless (and embarrassed in a way, what with all the diners watching), but I could see it in her eyes that she had finally come to a decision. I braced myself for her denial, though wishing she would reciprocate.

"I do," she whispered, the tears blurring her vision, making her eyes sparkle in the dim lights. "I do," she said it louder this time, as if I couldn't believe the first. "Now, get up! You're embarrassing yourself." Her eyes darted towards the people behind me, but I didn't give a damn after that.

I smiled goofily as I have just become the luckiest guy in the universe. Chuckling, I moved forward to gather her in my arms and close my mouth on her waiting lips, giving her a passionate kiss. The crowd around us was applauding in congratulations but what the hell, in the end, it all worked out.

**Author's note: There, another long one-shot from me. I actually wanted to divide this into two chapters, but when I thought about where to divide it, I found out the second chapter would be shorter than the first. Plus, I just prefer writing it all in one go.**

**It was actually taken from 'she got out alive's Irritation FanFic, also another Rob/Rae work. Check it out, it's quite cute!**

**So, there it is. I'm posting this two weeks before my Mid-Year examinations, so don't be expecting anymore in the mean time!**

**Reviews are really appreciated!**


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